HB147: HB147 Georgia Technology Authority; annual inventory of artificial intelligence usage by state agencies; provide

This bill addresses two separate issues in Georgia government technology policy. First, it adds a new rule to state purchasing law saying that when a government entity (a state agency, county, city, school system, or other political subdivision) signs a contract to license software designed for common desktop or server computers, that contract cannot restrict which hardware the government runs the software on. Second, it fills in a currently reserved section of law governing the Georgia Technology Authority. Starting by December 31, 2026, and every year after, the authority must inventory every state agency system that uses artificial intelligence to inform or support decisions, recording each system's name, vendor, capabilities, and whether it went through an impact assessment. By December 31, 2027, the authority must also create policies for developing, buying, and monitoring AI systems agencies use. The authority must send an annual report on the inventory to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and General Assembly. The law takes effect when signed by the Governor and applies to contracts signed or renewed after that date.

• Bars governmental entities from signing software licensing contracts that restrict which desktop or server hardware they can run the software on.
• Requires the Georgia Technology Authority to build an annual inventory, starting by December 31, 2026, of all state agency systems that use artificial intelligence in decision making.
• Requires each inventory entry to list the system's name, its vendor, its general capabilities, and whether it had an impact assessment before use.
• Requires the authority to develop AI policies and procedures for state agencies by December 31, 2027.
• Requires the authority to send an annual report on the AI inventory to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the General Assembly.
• Requires all state agencies to cooperate with the authority in carrying out the inventory and policy work.

State agencies, boards, and authorities in Georgia; counties, municipalities, and school systems as they procure software; software vendors that contract with Georgia governments; and the Georgia Technology Authority, which takes on new inventory, reporting, and policymaking duties.

Georgians would gain a public annual record of where and how state agencies use artificial intelligence in decisions that affect them, along with new rules preventing software vendors from locking governments into particular computer hardware, potentially affecting costs and flexibility in state technology purchasing.

• Section 1 adds new O.C.G.A. § 50-5-86, defining 'governmental entity' broadly to include state agencies, counties, cities, school systems, and other political subdivisions.
• Section 1 prohibits software licensing contracts from limiting a governmental entity's choice of desktop or server hardware.
• Section 2 revises O.C.G.A. § 50-25-7.9 to define 'artificial intelligence' as a machine based system that makes predictions, recommendations, or decisions from human defined objectives.
• Section 2(b)(1) requires an annual AI system inventory by the Georgia Technology Authority starting December 31, 2026, listing system name, vendor, capabilities, and impact assessment status.
• Section 2(b)(2) requires the authority to establish AI development and procurement policies for agencies by December 31, 2027.
• Section 2(c) requires an annual public report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and the House and Senate.
• Section 2(d) requires all state agencies to cooperate with the authority on these requirements.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as the Governor's signature and applies the software contract rule to agreements entered or renewed after that date.

1. 2026-03-18Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2026-01-12Senate Recommitted (Senate)
3. 2025-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
4. 2025-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
5. 2025-03-10Senate Withdrawn & Recommitted (Senate)
6. 2025-02-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
7. 2025-02-20House Passed/Adopted (House)
8. 2025-02-20House Third Readers (House)

• Brad Thomas (R, HD-021)Primary sponsor
• Todd Jones (R, HD-025)
• Clint Crowe (R, HD-118)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Rob Clifton (R, HD-131)
• Don Parsons (R, HD-044)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 20, 2025

   172 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 5 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #50

• artificial intelligence
• state government technology
• software contracts
• government transparency
• IT procurement